Description

The "Dear She-Ra" section (2 facing pages for once) are chock-full of fan-mail and art for the princess of power. Inspired by last issue's "Fashion Fantasy" feature, one artist submits a daring design for She-Ra, plaid and floral, with fishnet stockings! Another designer was obviously inspired by something else, her low-cut gown with the geometric necklace looks suspiciously identical to a dress worn by Angella in the Golden Princess of Power Paper Doll Set. "The Best of Autumn" news section does not include a feature on the lucky actress who won the part of She-Ra in the upcoming movie, as promised in the summer issue.

Feature Story: "Trickery Abloom" A walk in the Whispering Woods, bedazzling with exotic fall flowers, inspires She-Ra to stage a contest, to see which of her friends can find the most beautiful flower of all. Seeds will be planted at the contest tomorrow, and Etheria's super-fertile soil will grow the entries to full bloom in moments. She-Ra's friends nominate her as judge, and set off in search of horticultural splendor. Catra sneers at the contest, yet vows that she will be the winner. While prospecting for a possible entry, the she-cat ruins many promising plants, not willing to invest the time and care necessary to nurture a plant. Overhearing Sweet Bee confiding to Bow that her seeds, concealed in her hive, are sure to win the contest, Catra hatches a plan. That night, she steals Sweet Bee's seeds, replacing them with a special surprise. At the contest, Perfuma plants her seeds, which blossom into deliciously sweet-smelling orange and white flowers, the most fragrant in the land. Flutterina's entry immediately erupts into yellow blooms, which then shoot forth multi-colored butterflies (?). Sweet Bee's seeds, however, quickly sprout into twisted, thorny weeds, which prolifically snarl their way throughout the contest area, their growth stopped only by a suggestion to the plants from She-Ra. Sweet Bee gasps in alarm, but is quickly shoved aside by Catra, who is eager to plant her "sure winners". The seeds smugly planted by Catra turn out to be fountain flowers, which first fill the air with an explosion of glorious multi-colored petals, then spray a heavy rainbow-hued mist, drenching Catra. Trying in vain to avoid the shower, Catra instead gets herself tangled in a pile of Sweet Bee's brambles, and has to be rescued by Flutterina. Soaked and full of stickers, Catra then has to endure accusations from Sweet Bee, and lessons on fair play from She-Ra. Recognizing a no-win situation when she sees it, Catra stalks off fuming. She-Ra declares all the flowers winners, and the garden (even with the weeds) the most beautiful place on Etheria.

Puzzles and Activities "Words in the Woods" is an "across and down" puzzle, where numbered clues help you to fill in the across grid with names of Etherian inhabitants, while the words "Whispering Woods" run down through the lined-up answers. A "Princess of Power Halloween" pictorial gives suggestions as to how you might create a costume, to go trick-or-treating as She-Ra, Glimmer, or Catra. A scene of the Crystal Castle is the site of a "Hidden Crystal" puzzle, where 14 identical faceted jewels are secreted. And "Mystery Message" is a rebus puzzle, telling in letter and picture combinations of a close call for Sweet Bee and Perfuma.

Posters Poster #5 is another image of beauty, showing She-Ra strumming the strings of Sea Harp. Responding to Sea Harp's song, Glimmer, Flutterina, Frosta, and Peekablue (flying Crystal Moonbeam) are hurrying to the scene. The other "poster" is a "Back to School" Princess of Power book cover. On the front cover, She-Ra stands in the clouds before the (combined) Crystal Castle, with framed "head-shots" of Glimmer, Flutterina, Peekablue, and Mermista at each corner. The back cover features pictures of Swift Wind, Sweet Bee, Castaspella, Entrapta, Bow, Perfuma, Frosta, and Catra. Madame Razz and Broom adorn the frontispiece.

The autumn princess of power is 14-year-old Markita Andrews, an astoundingly successful saleswoman, who sold more than 10,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies in 1986, for a more than 40,000 box career total. Miss Andrews is also a published author, whose book, "How to Sell More," shares her sales techniques.